Pedicle screw placement in the cervical vertebrae using augmented reality-head mounted displays: a cadaveric proof-of-concept study.

Background: The accurate and safe positioning of cervical pedicle screws is crucial. While augmented reality (AR) use in spine surgery has previously demonstrated clinical utility in the thoracolumbar spine, its technical feasibility in the cervical spine remains less explored.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the precision and safety of AR-assisted pedicle screw placement in the cervical spine.

OptoChamber: A Low-cost, Easy-to-Make, Customizable, and Multi-Chambered Electronic Device for Applying Optogenetic Stimulation to Larval .

Optogenetics is a powerful tool used to manipulate physiological processes in animals through cell-specific expression of genetically modified channelrhodopsins. In optogenetics is frequently used for temporal control of neuronal activation or silencing through light-dependent actuation of cation and anion channelrhodopsins, respectively. The high setup costs and complexity associated with commercially available optogenetic systems prevents many investigators from exploring the use of this technology.

Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality Applications for Surgical Rehearsal, Operative Execution, and Patient Education in Spine Surgery: A Scoping Review.

: Advances in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies have resulted in their increased application across many medical specialties. VR's main application has been for teaching and preparatory roles, while AR has been mostly used as a surgical adjunct. The objective of this study is to discuss the various applications and prospects for VR, AR, and MR specifically as they relate to spine surgery.

Utilization of Augmented Reality Head-Mounted Display for the Surgical Management of Thoracolumbar Spinal Trauma.

: Augmented reality head-mounted display (AR-HMD) is a novel technology that provides surgeons with a real-time CT-guided 3-dimensional recapitulation of a patient's spinal anatomy. In this case series, we explore the use of AR-HMD alongside more traditional robotic assistance in surgical spine trauma cases to determine their effect on operative costs and perioperative outcomes. : We retrospectively reviewed trauma patients who underwent pedicle screw placement surgery guided by AR-HMD or robotic-assisted platforms at an academic tertiary care center between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022.